When you’re a massive bookworm, you’ve probably amassed an impressive collection of books over the years. While it may be great to have a whole bookshelf in your home filled with books from every genre, it can be a pain when you decide to move out. So, how exactly are you supposed to get your precious books packed safely for the move?
Consider Downsizing
Before you go packing your books, you may want to examine every book you have in your collection. Ask yourself if you really want each and every book to come with you to your new home. Perhaps there are some books you can let go of before you do the laborious job of packing them up.
Now, it can be difficult for some to let go of some of the books in their collection. But think of it as more of finding your books a new home rather than getting rid of them. Perhaps you have some books in your collection that you don’t particularly love. Or maybe you have duplicates of books you don’t really need. It could also be that you already have a digital copy of the said book, so there’s no longer a reason to keep a physical copy around.
Sort through your books and see what you can sell or donate. For example, if you still have some of your college textbooks, you’re not likely to open them up again. So it would be better to sell them since they are still of value to some.
You could also give away some of your books to a good friend. That way, you know your precious book will be in the hands of someone who will love it. And for those books you aren’t really attached to, you can donate them so that someone else may find joy in them.
Group Your Books
Once you’ve downsized your book collection, you can now group them. Don’t group your books according to genre or by alphabetical order, since that doesn’t really matter when it comes to packing. Instead, you should focus on the size and weight of your books.
Make sure you are still able to lift the box by distributing the weights among the boxes. This means heavier books should not be in the same box. So, while it may be annoying that all Harry Potter books aren’t in the same box, your back will thank you later.
You also have to consider the sizes of the books. So, it’s best to group them by size as well so they can fit better into the boxes. This also allows you to maximize the space in each box.
Stack the Books
Instead of setting your books upright like you would on a shelf, you should be stacking them up. Start with the largest and heaviest one of the group and may it flat against the bottom of the box. Continue stacking the books, making sure the spines are aligned with the side of the box. If this creates a space in the middle, see if you can insert a book in that space but don’t force it. And for any loose spaces, make sure you put some packing material in them to prevent any movement in the box.
In Summary
When packing books for a move, the first thing you need to do is downsize. By getting rid of books you no longer need, you save yourself the hassle of packing more books. Once you have your final collection of books, you can group them together and then stack them in boxes for easy moving. Just make sure you take into account the weight of the books in each box.
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